Book III, Fire
by GirlAnime
Summary: An offshootcontinuation from the end of the second season episode “The Crossroads of Destiny”. What are the effects of a human life and soul? It was said that the Avatar was to be born among humans so that they may grow understand them better as they...


**Title: Book III, Fire**  
**Chapter 1: Wounds**  
**Fandom: **Avatar the Last Airbender  
**Author: **GirlAnime  
**Summary: **An offshoot/continuation from the end of the second season episode "The Crossroads of Destiny".  
**Extended Summary: **What are the effects of a human life and soul? It was said that the Avatar was to be born among humans so that they may grow understand them better as they transcend to being a fully realized Avatar. What happens when an Avatar who isn't fully realized grows up too fast and learns too much, too soon?  
**Rating: **Teen/Mature  
**Warnings: **A variety - noted at the beginning of each chapter.  
**Author's Notes:** This will most likely be ended when season 3 begins. I'm just taking a stab at what _could_ happen. If I get pretty far into it, I may not stop the fic. We'll see how it goes.  
**Disclaimer:** All characters and situations remain the property of their respective owners. Seeing as how I'm not on Nickelodeon or Avatar's creative team, I sincerely doubt any of their characters are mine.

**---  
Avatar the Last Airbender: Book III, Fire  
**Chapter I: Wounds  
…

"_Experience is not what happens to a man: it is what a man does with what happens to him."_

---

The first time she experienced the gentle breeze passing over her face by riding on Appa's back was something Katara would never forget. It was terrifying and thrilling, calming and soothing, peaceful and invigorating all at the same time. However, tonight the air that hurriedly rushed over her face was anything but those things. Tonight, the mighty earth city of Ba Sing Se had fallen, and the rest of the earth kingdom was sure to follow.

As Aang lay on the plush fur of his companion water-bison Appa, Katara's brain was also busy burning another memory deep into her mind; the memory of Azula piercing Aang with her lightening strike. It was…unsettling to say the very least. With all her motherly instincts, Katara was often the care-taker of everyone and forced to keep a calm head on her shoulders but she could hardly keep control of the special water from the Northern Water Tribe as she had circled it in her palm and eased it's healing properties into the singed mark on Aang's back.

In truth, her lack of calm control of the element sprung from anger at herself. She had almost used this to help Zuko of all people! What if she had? Then Aang would be definitely be dead thanks to that devilish brat Azula and she would be the only one to blame for his lack of recovery.

As she mulled the bitter thought over, tears pricked at the corner of her eyes.

No, now was not the time to get emotional. First, get Aang to the Northern water tribe and then she could scold and degrade herself all she wanted in the privacy of her own room.

Gathering the reins on Appa in her hands once more, she steered him towards the north as best she could.

---

Sokka glanced over at his sister, quietly sitting with Appa's reins in her hands, as she steered them all to what he would assume was the north. He figured north because that's where that Master Pakku guy had wanted Katara to seek training under some healer lady what's-her-name. He wasn't very good with names and considering the circumstance, it was one of the farthest things from his mind.

Glancing around the rest of the group, Sokka noted the earth king talking affectionately to his bear Bosco and Toph resting with her foot on Aang's shin in what looked like a very uncomfortable position. Deciding that the King's swooning over his bear was a bit too much to bear (he'd have to remember that one), the brown haired teen decided to bother Toph.

"Why do you have your foot on him like that? Don't you think you'd _both_ be a bit more comfortable keeping those muck-covered things to yourself?"

Looking in his direction, Toph's eyebrows contorted in a way that let Sokka know she was annoyed even though her eyes couldn't really see him.

"No. I'd be more comfortable on the _ground_ and I think Aang would be more comfortable without a nice singe mark on his back really." She stated flatly, taking the time to recline and throw her arms behind her rather unruly black hair. "Besides," she murmured quietly as she focused on the tiny bits of iron in Aang's blood, "I think we'd all be a little more comfortable knowing whether or not he had a pulse."

"Well if you ask me, I still think you could use your hands or something. At least they're not covered in who knows what. I mean really, when was the last time you washed those things?" Sokka scrunched his nose up slightly.

Choosing to ignore the comment, Toph simply relaxed and shook her foot in Sokka's direction, using her earthbending powers to toss some of the excess dirt between her toes onto him. "Hush up Snoozles, I'm trying to concentrate here."

Throwing a small fit of hysterics at the disgusting nature of Toph, Sokka would almost swear that Toph was a guy and her parents had just been keeping _that_ from her as well.

"My you two are amusing," the earth king chuckled as he stroked Bosco lovingly between his ears. "Bosco is terribly entertaining and affectionate himself, but nothing quite like you two!"

"Yeah well Snoozles over there is quite the comedian." Toph grunted.

"You're just jealous of my superior brain power!" The self-proclaimed sarcasm and meat guy defended against Toph and turned to the earth king. "So, your Kingliness, what's the plan now? It doesn't exactly look like we can take Ba Sing Se back right now."

"Yes, that does seem true doesn't it?" the king grimaced. "But hopefully we are not out for the count!"

Sokka and Toph blinked at each other, not following the king's train of thought.

"Um, well that is, we might not be able to get back into Ba Sing Se, but that doesn't mean that we might not find other benders to help us out, right? I mean, certainly this war can't have spread all over the globe right?"

This time, Sokka and Toph sighed in unison at the king's naivety and proceeded to explain their adventures thus far since meeting the avatar whom was currently sprawled out on his back, exhausted and in poor shape from his fight with the combined forces of the Dai Li and Fire nation. Sokka hoped that maybe the tales exchanged might reach Aang's resting consciousness and help him out somehow.

---

Somewhere in the ever-safe walls of Ba Sing Se, a young man sighed. The nice way of putting it would be to say that Prince Zuko was conflicted.

Just what had he done exactly? Now that the once impenetrable city of Ba Sing Se was secretly under Fire Nation command, Azula was all but patting his mouth with a napkin after meals. He wasn't sure how to react to her change in behavior, but her boasting of his restored honor and chance to return home as a war hero sparked hope within him. A hope he thought he had long since given up; the hope for the love of his father.

But at what cost was he willing to go for that love? Zuko was surprised at his uncle's actions of defending the Avatar from the Di Lee but he wasn't taken aback. When Iroh had looked away from him with such a resigned look in his face, after he had been taken into custody, Zuko felt something unfamiliar prick at his heart. Uncertainty.

There had been a lot of that lately in his heart. His uncle had stood by his side through everything. The old man had even respected his wishes when he wanted to travel alone and yet somehow he was there when he needed him. He knew how important it was for Zuko to regain his father's love.

So why then, did he feel guilty standing at Azula's side? Maybe it was the adrenaline still coursing through his veins from the encounter. Maybe it was the aftershock of having the Avatar slip through his grasp one more time. It could have been the nervous excitement of being welcomed back into the Fire Nation once more. Zuko just didn't know.

He was uncertain and that scared him greatly.

---

_The cosmos opening up before him. An aura-lit path of stars leading up to an overwhelming figure. The embodiment of all Avatar power. Eyes and tattoos that gave off a bright blue glow. Burning, searing, insufferably sharp, heated pain. Then the feeling of falling as his own essence was left behind. He was fading. Aang was disappearing. The Avatar was dying._

Grey eyes wheeled themselves open before the young Avatar could realize what was truly going on. Breathing quick, labored breaths Aang calmed himself from the nightmare's barrage of images and took hold of his present surroundings.

He was on a bed, which he decided was better than the floor. He was also covered by quite a few blankets and could tell the room around him was of a much cooler temperature. His eyes took time to focus and so, still fuzzy-headed he attempted to push himself into a sitting position.

It was then he felt his body reject the motion so violently that a wave of nausea swept up from the bottom of his gullet and threatened to overtake him. Deciding that not being able to clean himself of whatever could be roaming around in his stomach, which he suspected was nothing but bile at this point, wasn't a very nice option, he decided to lay back down.

Something about that dream was unsettling. It definitely seemed more real than the rest of his nightmares he had experienced recently. A few faces of previous Avatar's drifted in his mind currently but disappeared before he could make any real connection from one to the other. Just what had happened? He remembered fighting, that would definitely explain some of the sore muscles. But the nauseating, blinding, hideously awful pain? Where had that come from?

Looking towards what he could only make out as a small window through blurry vision, he noted it was dark out. The warm confines of the fur blankets washed over him again and he noted how tired and weary he felt, both in spirit and body. The blue cast to the room reminded him of Katara smiling. However, not a smile of happiness or tranquility but one of …was it worry? Fear? Nervous relief? He couldn't remember clearly, it all seemed so distant.

As sleep overtook the young Avatar in the warm bed of the Northern water tribe healer, another memory bubbled to the surface and he knew the nightmares would only get worse as the night wore on. Somewhere in his dreams, his subconscious prayed for mercy from the onslaught.


End file.
